Valentine cupcakes - Use a cookie cutter to cut out a heart and fill with yummy frosting! Can use this for any holiday.

Use a cookie cutter to cut out a heart and fill with yummy frosting - perfect for Valentine's Day!

Cute idea- cut out heart from cupcake using cookie cutter fill with icing! valentines day maybe?

These fun cupcakes are quite easy to create!
First, bake a batch of chocolate cupcakes. I used my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe, but feel free to use any recipe or box mix you prefer. The only special instructions would be to make sure to fill the liners just a bit more than you might normally (about 1/2 inch below the top of the liner), because you need to have a bit of a dome above the top edge of the liners.
While the cupcakes are baking, prepare of batch of delicious Cherry Frosting. You can use the recipe below, or you could use my simple American Buttercream, or Cream Cheese frosting, and simply tint it pink with some food coloring. Canned (pre-made) frosting would work fine for these as well.
Maraschino Cherry Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4 cups powdered sugar
4 Tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
1/2 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
pinch of salt
Directions~
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter until smooth.
2. With the mixer running, Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
3. Add 4 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice, one tablespoon at a time.
4. Continue beating, and add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, and chopped maraschino cherries. If desired, add a drop of pink food coloring (I used Americolor electric pink).
5. Beat until fully combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Heart Cutout Cupcake Assembly
(idea source- Just Jenn Recipes)
1. Use a serrated knife to cut off the top of the cupcake, using the top of the cupcake liner as a guide.
2. Use a small heart cookie cutter to cut out a heart shape from the cupcake dome.
3. Spread frosting onto the cupcake base, in a mounded shape.
4. If desired, sprinkle the cupcake dome with powdered sugar. Place top back on cupcake and press down a bit.
Recipe source- Confessions of a Cookbook Queen